Impossible to use SDCC with PIC devices

[Romain Izard]

Some files from the SDCC project use a specific Microchip license, that allows redistribution, but requires that the files are only used to compile code executing on genuine Microchip devices. Those files describe the register structure of the PIC devices.

For release 3.0, the developers from the SDCC project segregated these files in a "non-free" directory, because the Microchip license was not compatible with the GPL. It is not a problem for SDCC itself, as the code compiled and linked together with the Microchip files is GPLv2 with exemptions, allowing this type of use.

When changing from release 2.9.0 to 3.1.0, the Debian project team removed all files from the non-free directories. As a result, even when using the "--use-non-free" compilation flag, it is impossible to compile any project for PIC devices.

As a "sdcc-libraries-nonfree" package does not exist in Debian Sid, it may be necessary to create it for Ubuntu

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[xaviblas (xaviblas)]

As a workaround an affected user can install this lenny packages:

http://archive.debian.net/lenny/electronics/sdcc-libraries
http://archive.debian.net/lenny/sdcc

It worked for me

[Xavier de Blas (u-info-x)]

Note also gputils cannot be 0.13.7-1.

It has to be Lenny: 0.13.6-1:
https://archive.debian.net/lenny/gputils
https://archive.debian.net/lenny/all/gputils-common/download